Modifying Master Plan-2021

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July 19, 2013 @ 11:11 am
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Anamika Joshi19th July 2013

Modifications have been proposed in the Master Plan-2021 to meet Delhi’s Requirements

On its website, the Delhi Development Authority gives a vivid description of its Vision-2021: “…Delhi a global metropolis and a world-class city, where all the people would be engaged in productive work with a better quality of life, living in a sustainable environment… The Master Plan envisages vision and policy guidelines for the perspective period up to 2021.”

This document, notified on February 7, 2007, is supposed to be reviewed every five years to keep pace with the fast-changing requirements of society. But it was only in September 2011 that this review process began. It was said by Union Urban Development Ministry that the Master Plan had failed to meet requirements of a city like Delhi.

The Process of finalising modifications will be complete by August, with at least 100 changes as has been told by DDA. One of the main changes that has been proposed is to revise FAR for different Sectors.

The roadblock: The Centre is pushing for high-rises since Delhi cannot expand horizontally. But the state government is against the move arguing that there is not proper infrastructure to support vertical growth.

Senior DDA officials say the Master Plan-2021 recommends no restriction on height in a large number of premises. An official told that in order to make high-rise buildings environment-friendly, additional features such as green buildings, need for service floors, podiums are being introduced in line with other metropolitan cites.

Delhi’s lack of available infrastructure to support such buildings is one of the key problems with high-rises. On this, the official said: “To optimise use of resources such as water and power, audits will be introduced and increased Floor Area Ratio (FAR) will be used as incentive.”

The incentive of additional FAR is important to tide over the housing shortage in Delhi according to DDA.When his comments were sought, DDA vice-chairman D Diptivilasa said: “The Master Plan has put emphasis on incentivized redevelopment, with additional FAR as a major element of city development covering all areas.”

Based on the projected population of 230 lakh by 2021, MPD-2021 estimates that the additional housing required will be around 24 lakh dwelling units — 20 lakh dwelling units for additional population and a backlog of 4 lakh units.

“Transit-oriented development along major transit corridors provides for increased FAR. The FAR for new group housing societies has been revised from 150 to 200,” the official said.

According to Ms. Ruchika Bhardwaj of Certes, The existing FAR of hospitals too will be augmented, based on the width of the right of way of the road and will be subject to no-objection certificates from all agencies and also the tourism sector is expected to get a boost with the FAR for motels and hotels being revised.